GREENWOOD, S.C. –
Payton Palladino's two-out RBI-single in the top of the 15
th inning sent Flagler College into the winner's bracket with a 7-6 victory over Georgia Southwestern State University in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament game Friday afternoon at Stephen B. Dolny Stadium.
The 15-inning game broke the PBC Tournament record for the longest game (14 innings – Columbus State University defeated USC Aiken, 5-4, April 23, 1994). It also tied the program record, which came on March 5, 2012 in a 9-8 win over Urbana University in a game played at Savannah, Georgia.
Flagler, the No. 5 seed, improved to 27-22 overall. The Saints will take the winner of tonight's game between Lander University and USC Aiken. That game will be played at 11 a.m. tomorrow. Georgia Southwestern, the No. 4 seed, fell to 34-16 and will play in tomorrow's elimination game at 3 p.m. against the loser of the USC Aiken-Lander game.
With one out in the 15
th inning,
Jaxson Wentworth reached on a throwing error by the GSW shortstop. He took second on a wild pitch, and two batters later, scored on Palladino's single through the left side of the infield.
The Hurricanes got the lead-off hitter on in the home half of the 15
th, but he was eliminated on a double play and the last batter grounded out.
The Saints trailed 6-1 going into the eighth inning, but
Taylor Clapp started the rally with an RBI-single and
Donovan Garcia drove to more runs in with a double to right field.
Now trailing 6-4 in the top of the ninth,
Bryce Fitzgerald led off by drawing a walk.
Griffin Garcia came in to pinch run for Fitzgerald and he stole second base.
Caden Kresak hit an infield single and
Trey Newland followed with a single to center to plate Garcia. Wentworth, who came on as a defensive replacement in the eighth, hit a single to left to score Kresak to tie the game.
Blake Pesante (5-1), the last of 11 pitchers used by Flagler, got the win in relief as he tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and he walked a batter.
Matthew Burke led Flagler's 20-hit attack with four hits, all singles.
Mason Gray added three singles.
Grant Adams (6-6) took the loss for the Hurricanes. He surrendered an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts.
Jake Blinstrub went 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored, and one run batted in.
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